Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies crosses for the vital try in their 28-25 Rugby World Cup win over hosts England at Twickenham

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England scrum-half Danny Care has criticised his country's tactics in their World Cup defeat to Wales at Twickenham and admitted Stuart Lancaster's Red Rose side blew the chance of a lifetime to lift a second Webb Ellis Trophy in the autumn.

Harlequins No.9 Care was a bit-part player for Lancaster in the global tournament and the sniping scrum-half was a frustrated onlooker as England became the first host nation in World Cup history to be eliminated in the pool stages after defeats to arch rivals Wales and England.

And it was the 28-25 loss to Warren Gatland's Wales that particularly angers Care after England had built up a 16-6 lead with 30 minutes gone.

“The frustrating thing is that I don’t think we really went for it," said Care.

"We were a bit reserved and that culminated in us losing those two games.

England scrum-half Danny Care in action during the final Rugby World Cup Pool A clash with Uruguay

"If we had played our really attacking style of play and really gone at teams we would have killed Wales off and won that game, and you never know what would have happened."

Care also admitted to being flabbergasted by the dropping of George Ford for the Welsh game as England went safety-first with Owen Farrrell at No.10.

And Care insists Lancaster’s side would have been in with a shout if they had gone out all guns blazing instead of going into their shells.

Care said: “What an opportunity we missed. Yes it was a very tough group - there were some massive expectations to do something pretty special and it kind of seemed to pass us by and we sunk without a trace.

George Ford lines up a shot at goal against Fiji (Image: Getty Images)

“However good a player Faz (Farrell) is - and he came in and did brilliantly - you would argue that George was probably our best player for the last year so that was a bit of a shock and probably not deserved.

“It would have been brilliant to have got Owen in the game but to drop George was harsh.

"Suddenly four years of prep has gone. For me I just feel we didn’t go for it.”

Lancaster’s replacement Eddie Jones has been a keen watcher of the Aviva Premiership since taking the England helm and it has been hinted Care is in line to start in the Six Nations with his all-action style that the Aussie favoured when he coached Japan.

Care added: “If you look at the way Japan played they were quick and played at a really high tempo. They played what they saw and they looked incredible at the World Cup.

“Hopefully for a lot of the Quins boys that appeals to the coaches and hopefully we will see a few of us in the Six Nations squad because there are a few sticking their hands up.

"It’s the way we play, we play that style of rugby because we think it is the right way to play. Obviously some coaches don’t.”